Much has been written, colorful and full of enthusiasm, flamboyant and full of condemnation, about Storyville, from 1897 to 1917, the district of New Orleans marked out by statute for licensed prostitution. Like so much that has been written about jazz, a lot of this has been full of half-truths and whole truths out of context. It would be a gross distortion to say that Alderman Story's city within a city reflected nothing but high moral purpose on the part of the New Orleans legislators who founded it. It would be gross injustice to suggest that they were accepting the several filths of flourishing vice as a cheerful necessity. This district represents simply the first and the last attempt to license prostitution in an American city, a Catholic city following a procedure made famous by many Catholic cities in Europe, most notably Paris, which didn't find it necessary to close its legally recognized brothels until after World War II. Whatever the merits of this solution to the problem of the oldest profession, for sixty years the attractions of Storyville and its antecedent quarters rivaled those of the cemeteries and the restaurants of New Orleans, and for almost half of that period music, side by side with loose ladies, soothed savage breasts.

It was only in 1897, in a new ordinance sponsored by Alderman Story, that a specific district was set up to limit prostitution geographically. The earlier ordinance had restricted only operations, and had actually given the brothels and unaffiliated whores an unmistakably large swathe through the city in which to work. It was, then, from 1897 to 1917 (when the Secretary of the Navy shut down all red-light districts) that tourism descended upon prostitution in New Orleans and jazz came alive.

THE LAWS GENERAL ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, TOGETHER WITH THE ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE, DECISIONS OF THE SUPREME COURT, AND CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS, RELATING TO THE CITY GOVERNMENT. REVISED AND DIGESTED, PURSUANT TO AN ORDER OF THE COMMON COUNCIL, BY HENRY J. LEOVY. NEW ORLEANS: PRINTED BY E. C. WHARTON, 41 CAMP STREET. 1857. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1857, by HENRY J. LEOVY, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

ENACTED SINCE THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE CITY IN 1852

An Ordinance relative to Coffee-Houses, Cabarets, Bar-rooms, etc.

License, etc. No. 161.
(1.) Every keeper of a grog-shop, bar-room, tavern, cabaret, coifee-house, beer-house, pleasure-garden, saloon, theatre, ball-room, club-room, or any other establishment whatever, wherein spirituous or malt liquors are sold by the glass to be drunk on the premises, must obtain a license for that purpose, and pay the tax fixed by the ordinances establishing uniform rates of taxation, under the pains and penalties pronounced by said ordinances, and section 94 of the statutes, approved March 14, 1855. Bond and surety.

Bond and surety. No. 162.
(2.) Every person applying to obtain a license, as aforesaid, shall subscribe a bond with surety for the sum of one thousand dollars, to secure the payment of such fines and taxes, said bond and security to continue in force eighteen months from the time it shall be furnished.

Sign. No. 163.
(3.) Every person who shall have obtained a license to sell spirituous or malt liquors by retail, shall place at his door, or in some conspicuous place on his house, his sign, on which shall be printed his name, and the number of his license, under a penalty of twenty-five dollars, and five dollars a day for every day he shall refuse or neglect to comply with this provision, after notice from the chief of the police.

No licenses for colored persons. No. 164.
(4.) No cabaret or coffee-house license shall, hereafter, be issued to any colored person.

Quantity of liquor. No. 165.
(5.) All persons who have obtained license to sell spirituous or malt liquors by the quart or bottle, are prohibited from selling the same in smaller quantities, and every person so selling shall pay a fine of not less than twenty-five, nor more than one hundred dollars - one-half for the use of the city, and the other half for the informer.

Transfer of license. No. 166.
(6.) Any person who, after having obtained one transfer of or more licenses for the purpose named in this ordinance, shall, without the consent of the mayor, make over and sell the same to others, shall, on conviction of the same, be fined fifty dollars for each license made over or sold, as shall each person who received or bought the same. See No. 719.

U. S. Soldiers. No. 167.
(7.) All coffee-house keepers and all other persons are prohibited from selling spirituous or fermented liquors of any kind to soldiers in the service of the United States, unless they bear a written permission from an officer of the army, under a penalty for every such offense of a fine of not less than fifteen dollars - one-half to the city, and the other half to the informer.

Liquor to slaves. No. 168.
(8.) Any keeper of a coffee-house, or place where spirituous liquor is retailed, who shall sell or give away any such liquor to slaves, without a written permission from their master, shall pay for every offense a fine not less than twenty, nor more than one hundred dollars; and every such vendor of spirituous liquors shall be punished with a like fine who shall furnish intoxicating drinks to slaves in exchange for goods or merchandise. All coffee-house keepers are responsible for the acts of persons in their employment who shall be guilty of any offense mentioned in this section.

Open in contravention of law. No. 169.
(9.) All coffee-houses, or other places where spirituous or malt liquors are sold at retail, which shall be found open in contravention of law, shall, after five days' notice, to be given by the treasurer in writing, be closed by the police at the order of the treasurer. The police are required to report in writing, through their captains, to the treasurer, all persons keeping public houses in contravention of law.

Hours to keep open. No. 170.
(10.) It shall not be lawful for any owner or owners of coffee-houses, or other places where spirituous or malt liquors are sold by the glass, to open said house or place before four o'clock in the morning, or to keep the same open after twelve o'clock at night, under a penalty of not less than fifty dollars for each and every infraction of this provision.

Music in bar-rooms, etc. No. 171.
(11.) It shall be the duty of the chief police to arrest all persons who shall be found playing or causing to be played music in any bar-room, coffee-house, or other place where liquors are sold; who, upon conviction, shall be liable to a fine of not more than fifty dollars for each and every offense, and the coffee-house keeper shall be liable to the same penalty.

Disorderly Houses. No. 172.
(12.) The mayor, and also the chief of the police shall have power, in case of riots, fights, and disturbances of any kind in the neighborhood of bar-rooms, coffee or drinking houses, to notify the keepers or proprietors to close said houses, and in case of neglect or refusal, the keepers of said houses shall be liable to a fine of one hundred dollars for each offense.

Slaves in coffee houses. No. 173.
(13.) It shall be the duty of the police to arrest slaves caught drinking spirituous or malt liquors, or playing cards in grog-shops, or coffee-houses, or in the streets of the city.

Card playing, etc. No. 174.
(14.) It shall not be lawful for any keeper of any cabaret or coffee-house, to permit white persons and colored persons to play cards together, or any other game in their house, under a penalty of not less than twenty dollars, nor more than one hundred dollars for every offense, and a like penalty for each of the players; and it shall be the duty of the police officers who may discover an assembly of this kind to arrest all the parties engaged in it.

Election days. No. 175.
(15.) It shall not be lawful for any bar-room, Coffee-house, cabaret, grog-shop, beer-house or beer-garden to be kept open on Presidential, State or General Municipal elections, from and after the expiration of licenses for the present year, under a penalty of one hundred dollars.

Repealing clause. No. 176.
(16) Ordinances or parts of ordinances conflicting with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed.

Police juries and municipal authorities invested with exclusive power to regulate the sale of intoxicating liquors. Licenses, how granted or withheld.

Section 1.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Louisiana in General Assembly convened, That the police juries of the several parishes, the municipal authorities of the several towns and cities, and the board of aldermen and assistant aldermen, together with the mayor of the city of New Orleans shall have the exclusive power to make such laws and such regulations for the sale or pohibition of the sale of intoxicating liquors as they may deem advisible, and to grant or withhold licenses from drinking houses and shops, within the limits of any city, ward of a parish or town as a majority of the legal voters of any city, ward of a parish or town may determing by ballot, and the said ballot shall be taken whenever deemed necessary by the police juries of the several parishes, the municipal authorities of the several towns and cities and the board of alderman and assistant aldermen together with the mayor of the city of New Orleans; provided, that said election shall not be held more than once a year. --Act of 1855, p. 178.

Disorderly houses. Sec. 92.
That whoever shall be guilty of keeping any disorderly inn, tavern, ale-house, tippling-house, gaming-house or brothel, shall suffer fine or imprisonment, or both, at the discretion of the court, and the offender may likewise be adjudged to forfeit his license to keep a house of public resort or entertainment.- Act of 1855, p. 144.

Keeping grog shop without license. Sec. 94.
That whoever shall keep a grog or tippling-shop, or retail spirituous liquors, without previously obtaining a license from the police jury, town or city authorities, on conviction shall be fined not less than one hundred, nor more than five hundred dollars, and in default of payment, shall be imprisoned not less than fifteen days, nor more than four months. Act of 1855, p. 145.

LEWD WOMEN

Women creating disturbances, etc. No. 403.
Any woman or girl notoriously abandoned to lewdness, who shall occasion scandal or disturb the tranquility of the neighborhood, shall be condemned by the mayor, or any other justice of the peace, to a fine of twenty-five dollars for every such offense, and in case of her not being able to pay the said fine, she shall suffer imprisonment for one month, according to law. And each and every person who shall have rented or have lodged or harbored, either within the city, or suburbs, any woman or girl notoriously abandoned to lewdness, and who shall occasion scandal or disturb the peace or tranquility of the neighborhood, shall pay the sum of fifteen dollars for each twenty-four hours, he or she shall continue to furnish lodgings to any woman or girl of that description, after due notice is given of the same, by the mayor, that he or she shall cease to rent to, or lodge any of the above described persons.
City ordinance of May 20, 1817 (Art. 3)

Women frequenting coffee houses, etc. No. 404.
(1.) From and after the promulgation of this ordinance, it shall not be lawful for any lewd woman in this Municipality to frequent cabarets or coffee houses, nor to drink therein, under the penalty of a fine, which shall not be less than five nor more than twenty-five dollars, recoverable before the recorder of this Municipality, or any other competent tribunal, provided that any such woman who would be unable to pay the said fine, shall in lieu thereof suffer an imprisonment, the term of which shall not exceed one month in the workhouse of this municipality.

Duty of police. No. 405.
(2.) It shall be the duty of the commissaries of police, as also the officers and members of the day and night police, to apprehend all or any lew woman acting in contravention of the foregoing resolution, and bring her before the recorder of this Municipality. Ordinance, Feb. 17, 1845, of first Municipality.

An Ordinance concerning Lewd and Abandoned Women.

To live within certain portion of the city. No. 1084.
(1.) That it shall not be lawful for any woman or girl, notoriously abandoned to lewdness, to occupy, inhabit, live or sleep in any one-story house or building, or the lower floor of any house or building situated within the following limits, viz:In the first district - Between the river and Hercules, Circus and Rampart streets. Felicity road and Canal street.In the second district - Between the river and Basin street, Canal and Toulouse streets, and between the river, the bayou St. John, Toulouse street, and Esplanade street. Amended by No. 1098.In the third district - Between Esplanade street, Elysian Fields, the river and Broad street.In the fourth district - The river, the Carrollton railroad, the upper line of said district and Felicity road, under the penalty of not less than twenty-five dollars for each and every contravention thereof, and the further penalty of twenty-five dollars for each and every day such woman or girl shall occupy, inhabit, live, or sleep in any one-story house or building, or the lower floor of any house or building, or any room or closet on the lower floor of any house or building within the limits aforesaid, after due notice from the recorder of the district wherein such woman shall be found contravening thereto; and in default of payment of such penalty aforesid, such woman or girl shall be imprisoned not less than thirty days.

Duty of police and recorder. No. 1085.
(2.) That it shall be the duty of all police officers, policemen and watchmen to arrest any woman or girl found in contravention to the foregoing section, and take her before the recorder of the district wherein she be found in contravention, who shall impose upon her the penalty set forth in said section, and in default of payment thereof, shall condemn her to not less than thirty days' imprisonment; and said recorder shall further notify such woman or girl to remove from and quit the premises so occupied or inhabited by her within three days from such notification, under the penalties imposed by said section.

To pay tax and obtain license. No. 1086.
(3.) That it shall not be lawful for any woman or girl, notoriously abandoned to lewdness, to occupy, inhabit, or live in any house, building or room situate within the limits described in the first section of this ordinance, and not in violation of, or prohibited by the said section, without first paying in to the city treasurer the tax imposed by this ordinance, and procuring from the mayor of this city a license to inhabit or live in or occupy a house, building or room within said limits as aforesaid - nor shall it be lawful for any person to open or keep any house, building, dwelling or room within the limits of this city for the purpose of boarding or lodging lewd and abandoned women, or of renting rooms to such women, without first paying the tax hereinafter levied, and procuring from the mayor a license so to open and keep a house, etc., as aforesaid. Every person failing to comply with the provisions of this section, shall pay a fine of one hundred dollars for each and every contravention, and in default of payment shall be imprisoned not less than thirty days. One half of the fine shall be for the benefit of the informer. Provided, that nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to authorize the issuing of licenses to occupy or inhabit any one story house or building or the lower floor of any house or building situate within the limits described in the first section of this ordinance.

Annual tax, etc. No. 1087.
(4.) That an annual license tax of one hundred Annual tax, etc., dollars be and the same is hereby levied upon each and every woman or girl notoriously abandoned to lewdness, occupying, inhabiting, or living in any house, building or room within the limits prescribed in the first section of this ordinance, but not in contravention thereof - and an annual tax of two hundred and fifty dollars upon each and every person keeping any house, room, or dwelling for the purpose of renting rooms to or boarding lewd and abandoned women, which said tax shall be payable in advance on the first day of February of each and every year. Amended by No. 1100.

Mayor's duty as to licenses. No. 1088.
(5.) That the mayor of this city be, and is hereby Mayor's duty as authorized, upon the production of the receipt of the treasurer of this city, showing the payment of the tax levied by section fourth of this ordinance, to grant the license required by the third section of this ordinance. Which license shall be recorded in a book to be kept for that purpose in the mayor's office, and shall set forth the name of the party to whom granted, the number of the house or building which she intends to inhabit, occupy or live in, the name of the street, where the same is situated, and the number corresponding with that of the record in the aforesaid book. And for which license and recording, the party to whom it is granted shall pay one dollar and fifty cents. Said license shall expire on the thirty-first day of January.

Disturbing the peace- penalty. No. 1089.
(6.) Any woman or girl notoriously abandoned to lewdness, who shall occasion scandal or disturb the tranquility of the neighborhood, or commit a breach of the peace, shall be fined not less than ten dollars, nor more than twenty-five dollars for the first offense, and for the second offense shall be fined, not less than twenty-five dollars, and for the third offense, shall forfeit her license, and shall be dealt with as provided by the act concerning vagrants, etc.

Not to frequent cabarets. No. 1090.
(7.) That it shall not be lawful for any lewd woman to frequent any cabaret, or coffee-house, or to drink therein, under the penalty of not less than five dollars for each and every contravention, or of being dealt with as provided by the act concerning vagrants, at the discretion of the recorder before whom she may be brought.

White women and free women of color not to live together. No. 1091.
(8.) That it shall not be lawful for white women and free women of color, notoriously abandoned to lewdness, to occupy, inhabit, or live in the same room, house or building; nor for any free person of color to open or keep any house, building or room, for the purpose of boarding or lodging any white woman or girl notoriously abandoned to lewdness, under the penalty of not less than twenty-five dollars for each and every contravention; in default of payment, the person so contravening shall be imprisoned not less than thirty days. One half of the fine shall be for the benefit of the informer.

Hiring rooms and houses, etc. No. 1092.
(9.) That each and every person who shall rent or hire any house, building or room, to any woman or girl notoriously abandoned to lewdness, in contravention of this ordinance, shall pay a penalty of fifty dollars for each and every girl or woman such person shall rent or hire to as aforesaid.

Mayor, in certain cases, to order their removal. No. 1093.
(10.) That whenever a petition signed by three respectable citizens residing within the vicinity of any house, building or room occupied or inhabited, or frequented by one or more lewd women, shall be presented to the mayor, stating, under oath, that such house, building or room is a nuisance, and that the occupants thereof are in the habit of disturbing the peace of the neighborhood, or are in the habit of committing indecencies by the public exposure of their persons, etc., it shall be the duty of the mayor immediately to notify the owner or lessee of such house, building or room, that such report has been made, and to order him or her to eject from the premises so occupied the persons in possession at the time of the complaint. And any person refusing or neglecting to comply therewith, shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars, nor more than one hundred dollars for each and every month during the continuance of the nuisance complained of. And the mayor is hereby further authorized to order the occupants of the house, building or room to remove therefrom within a delay of five days, and upon said occupants failing so to do, each shall be fined not less than ten dollars a day for each and every day such occupants shall remain in violation of said order, and in case of failure or refusal to pay said fine, each occupant shall be imprisoned for a time not exceeding thirty days.

Police powers, etc. No. 1094.
(11.) That all houses, buildings, dwellings, or rooms occupied or inhabited by lewd women, shall at all times be subject to the visitation of the police of this city.

Forbidden to stand in front of their houses or sit on steps, etc. No. 1095.
(12.) That it shall not be lawful for any woman or girl notoriously abandoned to lewdness, to stand upon the sidewalk in front of the premises occupied by her, or at the alley-way, door or gate of such premises, nor sit upon the steps thereof in an indecent posture, nor accost, call, nor stop any person passing by, nor to walk up and down the sidewalk or banquette, nor stroll about the streets of the city indecently attired, under the penalty of not less than ten (10) dollars for each and every contravention; and in default of payment, such woman or girl shall be imprisoned not less than fifteen days.

Opposing police. No. 1096.
(13.) That any person who shall interfere with, obstruct, or prevent any of the police of this city from enforcing the provisions of this ordinance, shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars, and in default of payment, shall be imprisoned not less than thirty days.

Police to enforce this ordinance. No. 1097.
(14.) That it shall be the duty of the police of this city, strictly to enforce the provisions of this ordinance, and to arrest all persons contravening against the same, under tho penalty of dismissal.

When to go into effect. No. 1098.
(15.) That this ordinance shall go into effect, and be in full force from and after the first day of February next. Amended by No. 1101.

Repealing clause. No. 1099.
(16.) That all ordinances, or parts of ordinances, contrary to the provisions of this ordinance be, and the same are hereby repealed. City Ordinance, No. 3267. Approred March l0, 1857.

An Ordinance, to amend section 4th and 5th of the ordinances.
No. 3267, entitled an ordinance concerning Lewd and Abandoned Women, approved March 10, 1857.

Amending No. 1087. No. 1100.
That section fourth of the ordinance entitled "An ordinance concerning lewd and abandoned women" approved 10th March, 1857, be so amended as to make the annual tax referred to in said section, payable on the first day of April of each year, instead of the first of February, as therein provided.

Amending No. 1098. No. 1100.
That section fifteen of said ordinance be so amended as to read as follows, viz; "That this ordinance shall fo into effect, and be in full force and effect from and after the first day of April, 1857."

An Ordinance to amend first paragrah of section first of the ordinance No. 3267, entitled "An ordinance concerning Lewd and Abandoned Women," approved March 10th, 1857.

Amending No. 1084. No. 1102.
That paragraph first, of section first, of the ordinance entitled an ordinance concerning lewd and abandoned women, approved 10th March, 1857, be so amended as to read as follows, vis: The first district, between the river, Felicity Road, Hercules, the New Canal, Claiborne, and Canal streets. That this ordinance shall go into effect from and after its passage. City ordinance, No. 3320. Approved April, 2nd, 1857.

BARROOMS, RESTAURANTS AND LEWD WOMEN

Flynn's Digest, City Ordinances together with the Constitutional Provisions, Acts of the General Assembly, and Decisions of the Courts relative to the Government, City of New Orleans, Published by authority of the City Council. Compiled by J. Q. Flynn. New Orleans, 1896, Printed and bound by L. Graham & Sons, Ltd., 207-211 Baronne Street, New Orleans

The Laws and Ordinances of the City of New Orleans from the Consolidation of the Municipalities in 1852 to the 1st of January, 1896.

BARROOMS

As to Females Entering Saloons - See Lewd Women.

Petition, Ord. No. 7012, C. S. Amended by Orde. No. 7190, C. S., Feb. 9, 1893. Art. 234.
That hereafter it shall not be lawful for any one to set up or establish any drinking house, coffee-house, beer house, or place where liquors of any kind are sold at retail by the glass to be there consumed, without having first petitioned the Mayor and City Council, said petition to be published three times in ten days in such form as the Committee on Public Order may designate.

Protests. 1b. Art. 235.
That after the expiration of the said publication, there being no protest uttered against the petition, same shall be granted; provided, however, that if any person or persons protesting against the opening of a saloon or drinking house, etc,, they shall be heard before the Committee on Public Order of the City Council, and if there be any valid objections in the judgment of the said committee said petition will not be granted.

Penalty. 1b. Art. 236.
That any violation of the foregoing ordinance will be punished by a fine of not more than twenty-five dollars or not more than thirty days' imprisonment.

Repealing clause. lb. Art. 237.
That all ordinances or parts of ordinances conflicting with the provisions of this ordinance be and the same are hereby repealed.

License, Dec. 1856, O. S.3134. License. Art. 238.
(1) Every keeper of a grogshop, barroom, tavern, cabaret, coffee-honse, beerhouse, pleasure garden, saloon, theatre, ballroom, clubroom or any other establishment whatever wherein spirituous or malt liquors are sold by the glass to be drunk on the premises, must obtain a license for that purpose, and pay the tax fixed by the ordinances establishing uniform rates of taxation, under the pains and penalties pronounced by said ordinance.

Sign. 1b. Art. 239.
(3) Every person who shall have obtained a license to sell spirituous or malt liquors by retail shall place at his door, or in some conspicuous place on his house, his sign, on which shall be painted his name and the number of his license, under a penalty of twenty-five dollars, and five dollars a day for every day he shall refuse or neglect to comply with this provision, after notice from the Chief of the Police.

Quantities. Art. 240. (5)
All persons who have obtained license to sell spirituous or malt liquors by the quart or bottle are prohibited from selling the same in smaller quantities.

Transfer of licenses. lb. Art. 241.
(6) Any person who, after having obtained one or more licenses for the purpose named in this ordinance, shall, without the consent of the Mayor, make over and sell the same to others, shall, on conviction of the same, be fined fifty dollars for each license made over or sold, as shall each person who received or bought the same.

U. S. Soldiers. lb. Art. 242.
(7) All coffee-house keepers and all other persons are prohibited from selling spirituous or fermented liquors to soldiers in the service of the United States, unless they bear a written permission from an officer of the army, under a penalty for every such offence of a fine not less than fifteen dollars; one-half to the city and the other half to the informer.

Music in barrooms. lb. Art. 243.
(11) Exccpt in cases where permission is granted by the Mayor, it shall be the duty of the Chief of Police to arrest all persons who shall be found playing or causing to be played, music in any barroom, coffee-house, or other place where liquors are sold, who, upon conviction, shall be liable to a fine of not more than fifty dollars for each and every offence; and the coffee-house keeper shall be liable to the same penalty.

Disorderly house. O. S. 3134. Dec. 1850. Art. 244.
(12) The Mayor and also the Chief of Police shall have power, in case of riots, fights and disturbances of any kind in the neighborhood of barrooms, coffee or drinking houses, to notify the keepers or proprietors to close said houses; and in case of neglect or refusal the keepers of said houses shall be liable to a fine of one hundred dollars for each offence.

Penalty for selling or giving away on election days, intoxicating drink. Act 26, 1880. Art. 245.
(1) That from and after the promulgation of this act if any person shall sell or give away intoxicating drink or drinks on election day at or within one mile of any precinct where elections may be held, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be fined in a sum not exceeding one hundred dollars, or imprisonment not exceeding sixty days, or both, at the discretion of the court, for each and every offence.

Hours for closing. A. S. 7067, May, 1881. Art. 246.
(1) That all barrooms or other places where spirituous or malt liquors are sold by the glass shall close at 12 o'clock midnight and remain closed until 3 o'clock A. M. During these hours all business shall be suspended and no intoxicating drink of any kind whatever shall be sold or given away, the Mayor being vested with discretionary power to allow proprietors of saloons to keep open after hours. The proprietor of any barroom, coffee-house, beer saloon or other place where spirituous or malt liquors are sold by the glass, violating the provisions of this ordinance, shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than ($25) twenty-five dollars, or imprisonment for not more than thirty days in the parish prison.

Music saloons. Ord. No. 416, A. S., Aug. 16. lb. Art. 247.
(1) That there shall not be permitted in saloons, any coffee-house or other place where spirituous or malt liquors are sold at retail any vocal or instrumental music, or any theatrical performance, except the keeper thereof first obtains a special annual license for such purpose, and pay a tax as follows: For instrumental music, $100; for vocal or vocal and instrumental music, [Regulation license] of $200; and for a stage on which singing, dancing or theatricals are performed, $300; provided, that the Administrator of Finance shall be authorized to issue for the remainder of the year 1870 a half-yearly license at the above rate.

Hours of closing. Art. 248.
(2) That all music and theatricals at the places of entertainment described in the foregoing section shall cease at or before 12 o'clock at night, and the continuance of such entertainment after the hour aforesaid shall work a forfeiture of the license, and the place shall be closed by the police.

Permission to open. lb. Art. 249.
(3) That after the 1st of January, 1871, none of the coffee-houses described in the previous section shall be permitted to open except on the written consent of the owners or lessees of one-half the frontage on both sides of the street of the square where the coffee-house or other such place is located; provided, that the frontage of any building used for a similar purpose shall be deducted before a division is made.

Art. 250.
(4) That all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith be and the same are hereby repealed.

Liquor to Minors
Minors under 18 years of age. Ord. No. 1469, C. S. Oct. 6, 1885. Art. 251.
(1) That from and after the passage of this resolution, any grocery, cabaret, saloon, exchange, bar-room, music hall or other establishment where intoxicating liquors are sold, shall not be permitted to sell to minors under eighteen years of age liquors to be drunk on the premises.

Penalty. Art. 252.
(2) Ally proprietor or proprietors of any of the places herein named so offending shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be liable to a fine not exceeding twenty-five dollars, or imprisonment for a period not less than thirty days in the parish prison, or both, at the discretion of the Recorder having jurisdiction of the case.

Duty of police. 1b. Art. 253.
(3) It shall be the duty of the police to arrest and imprison any minor attempting to evade the provisions of this resolution, and said minor shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than ten dollars for each and every offence, or in lieu thereof to imprisonment not over thirty days in the Boys' House of Refuge, at the option of the Recorder in whose district the arrest is made. [Failure to arrest. 1b.] Any officer who shall fail to arrest such offender, or neglect the enforcement of the provisions thereof, shall be suspended, or expelled, from the force, as the board may direct.

To provide price lists, A. S., No. 7165, June, 1881. Art. 255.
(1.) That each and every keeper or owner to provide of a restaurant, eating-house or other place where wines and dishes of food are sold, shall provide their customers in said restaurant or eating-house with a plainly written or printed list of the wines and dishes of food they have for sale, and the price they charge for each bottle of wine and dish of food.

Charges. 1b. Art. 236.
(2) That it shall not be lawful for any keeper or owner, or any employee of any restaurant or eating-house, to charge more than the rates stated in his price list for the wines and dishes of food furnished or sold.

Penalty. 1b. Art. 257.
(3) That any keeper or owner or employee of any restaurant or eating-house found violating the provisions of this ordinance shall be subjected to a fine not exceeding twenty-five dollars, recoverable before any Recorder, and in default of payment be imprisoned not exceeding thirty days.

Posting of ordinances. 1b. Art. 258.
(4) That all keepers or owners of restaurants and eating-houses to whom this ordinance may extend are required, under a penalty of twenty-five dollars, to have a copy of this ordinance conspicuously posted in their restaurant or eating-house, and in default of the payment to be imprisoned not exceeding thirty days.

Inspection of materials used for preparation and sale of liquids and food.
Ord. No. 4736, C. S., Sep. 20, 1890. Art. 259.
That the Board of Health of the State of Louisiana be and is hereby authorized to inspect, through its proper officers, all public places, licensed under State laws Or city ordinances, in which food or liquids are prepared or sold for human consumption, and to inspect and examine the utensils and apparatus used therein, and in case that any practices are ascertained, or utensils or materials are used therein deleterious to human health, to order the discontinuance thereof.

Penalty. 1b. Art. 260.
That any person or persous who shall fail to comply with the order of discontinuance, after due notification thereof, shall be fined not exceeding twenty-five dollars or imprisonment not more than thirty days, after due conviction before the Recorder of the district in which the offence is committed.

An Act - To amend and re-enact section 910 of the Revised Statutes of 1870.
Penalty for keeping a grog shop or tippling house or retailing spiritous or intoxicating liquors without a license from the police jury, town or city authorities--disccretion of jury in such cases.

[No. 83 of 1886.]
Section 1.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Louisiana, That section 910 of the Revised Statutes of 1870 be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows: Section 910. Whoever shall keep a grog or tippling shop, or retail spirituous or intoxicating liquors without previously Obtaining a license a license from from the policc jury, town or city authorities, on conviction, shall be fined not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars, and in default of payment shall be imprisoned not less than thirty days nor more than four months; where it is contended, in prosecutions for the violation of this section, that said spirituous or intoxicating liquors were prescribed and sold as a medicine, it shall be for the jury to decide whether such prescription and sale were made in good faith and in case of sickness or as a mere subterfuge, and with intent to evade the provisions of this section.

Act No. 43 of 1894.
Making it a misdemeanor for any owner, proprietor, keeper or lessee, or agent, manager or conductor of any concert hall, or saloon where spirituous liquors, wines or malt are sold at retail, to allow any female to dispense or distribute among the audience such liquors, wines or malt, and providing a penalty therefor.

Prohibiting the employment of women in houses where retail liquor is sold. Penalty.
Section 1.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Louisiana, That no owner, proprietor, keeper, lessee or agent, manager or conductor of any concert hall or saloon where spirituous liquors, wines or malt, and any person or persons violating the provisions of this act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and. on conviction, shall be imprisoned in the parish jail not less than thirty days nor more than three months, and a line of not less than fifty nor more than one hundred dollars for each and every offence.

Sec. 2.
Be it further enacted, etc., That all laws or parts of laws contrary to and in conflict with this act be and the same are hereby repealed.

Act No. 55 of 1894.
An act to prohibit the keepers of barrooms, drinking saloons, groggeries and coffee-houses or any other place where intoxicating or spirituous liquors are sold by the glass, bottle, gallon or in less quantities, from selling or giving intoxicating of spirituous liquors to minors, and to prohibit all persons from purchasing or receiving, by gift or otherwise, any intoxicating or spirituous liquors for the special use of a minor; and to prescribe penalties for the violation of this act.

Prohibiting the sale of spiritous liquors to minors.
Section 1.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Louisiana, That no keeper of a barroom, drinking saloon, groggery, coffee-house or other place where intoxicatmg or spirituous to minors, liquors are sold by the glass, bottle, gallon or in less quantities shall sell or give to any person under the age of twenty-one (21) years any intoxicating or spirituous liquors, unless the person purchasing or receiving such intoxicating or spirituous liquors has been fully emancipated under the laws of Louisiana by the emancipation of eighteen (18) years, or unless the person purchasing or receiving such intoxicating or spirituous liquor shall present to the person selling or giving such intoxicating or spirituous liquor an order signed by the father, mother or tutor of such minor, directing the sale or gift to be made.

Minor must present order from father, mother or tutor in order to buy liquor.
Sec. 2.
Be it further enacted, That no person shall sell, buy, purchase or receive, by gift or otherwise, any intoxicating or spirituous liquor for the special use of any person under the age of twenty-one (21) years unless he be fully emancipated under the laws of Louisiana by the emancipation of eighteen (18) years, or unless such minor present an order signed by his father, mother or tutor directing the sale or gift to be made.

Violations of this act a misdemeanor.
Sec. 3.
Be it further enacted, That any person keeping a bar- room, groggery, drinking saloon, coffee-house or other place where intoxicating or spirituous liquors are sold by the glass, bottle, gallon or in less quantities, who shall knowingly sell or give away intoxicating or spirituous liquors to any person under the age of twenty-one (21) years contrary to the provisions of this act, and any person who shall buy, purchase or receive by gift or otherwise any intoxicating or spirituous liquor for the special use of any person under the age of twenty-one (21) years, contrary to the provisions of this act, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be punished by a line of not less than twenty-five ($25) dollars nor more than fifty ($50) dollars for each separate offence.

Not to stand on sidewalks. Ord. No. 4434, C. S. April 15, 1890. Art. 1074.
That public prostitutes or notoriously lewd Not to stand and abandoned women are forbidden to stand upon the ord. No. 4434, sidewalk in front of or near the premises they may oc- cupy, or at the alleyway, door or gate of such premises, or to occupy the steps thereof, or to accost, call or stop any person passing by, or to walk up and down the sidewalks, or to stroll about the city streets indecently attired, or in other respects so to behave in public as to occasion scandal or disturb and offend the peace and good morals of the people. April 15, 1890

Not to frequent drinking saloons. 1b. Art. 1075.
(2) That it shall not be lawful for any lewd woman to frequent any cabaret or coffee-house or saloons to drink therein.

Subject to police surveilance at all times. 1b. Art. 1076.
(3) That all houses, buildings or rooms occupied or inhabited by lewd women, and all houses of prostitution and of assignation, shall at all times be subject to the visitation of the police, and it shall be the duty of the police, while strictly enforcing the provisions of this ordinance, to extend to such lewd and abandoned women the same protection given to other inhabitants of this city. [Entitled to protection.]

Limits Ord. No. 4929, C. S. May, 1895. Art. 1077.
(4) That it shall not be lawful for any public prostitute or woman notoriously abandoned to lewdness to occupy, inhabit, live or sleep in any house, room or closet situated without the following limits, and that said women are excluded from any other portion of the city outside of the limits now specified, viz.: South side of Poydras street from the Mississippi river to Claiborne street, west side of Claiborne street from Poydras to St. Louis street, north side of St. Louis from Claiborne street to the river, and along the river bank from St. Louis to Poydras street; provided, that nothing herein shall be so construed as to give the right to any lewd women to occupy a house, etc., as herein provided, in any particular portion of the city.

Unlawful to reside outside limits under certain conditions. 1b. Art. 1078.
(5) That it shall no be lawful for any public prostitute notorously abandoned to lewdness to occupy, inhabit, live or sleep in any one-story house, or a room or closet of the first or lower story of any house in the city of New Orleans outside of the limits specified in section 4 of this ordinance.

Houses of prostitution within certain limits. 1b. ART. 1079.
(6) That it shall not be lawful to establish or carry on a house of prostitution or assignation within limits. the limits specified in section 4 of this ordinance.

Renting rooms, houses, etc., in violation of Ord. 1b. Art. 1080.
(7) That any person, whether agent or owner, who shall knowingly rent or hire, or continue to rent or hire, after being notified by the Mayor that he or she is acting in contravention of this ordinance, any house, building or room to any woman or girl notoriously abandoned to lewdness, shall be brought before the Recorder of the district in which the offence is committed and punished as provided in section of this ordinance.

Notice to quit by the Mayor. 1b. Art 1081.
(8) That whorever a house of prostltution assignation, within or without the limits established by this ordinance, may become dangerous to public morals, either from the manner in which it is conducted or the character of the neighborhood in which it is situated, the Mayor may, on such facts coming to his knowledge, order the occupant of such house, building or room, to remove therefrom within a delay of five days, by service of notice on such occupants in person, or by posting the notice on the door of the house building or room, to remove therefrom, within a delay of five days, and upon such occupants failing to do so, each shall be punished as provided in section 10 of this ordinance.

Mayor authorized to close places. 1b. Art. 1082.
(9) That in the event that the occupants such house, building or room, referred to in section 8, do not remove therefrom after the infliction of the penalty, the Mayor is authorized to close the same and to place a policeman at the door of such premises to warn away all such parties who shall undertake to enter.

Penalty. 1b. Art. 1083.
(10) That any person or persons who shall violate the provisions of this ordinance or who shall disturb the tranquillity of the neighborhood, or commit a breach of the peace, shall be subject to a fine not exceeding $25, to be imposed by the Recorder of the district in which the offence shall be committed, and in default of payment of the fine to imprisonment in the parish prison for a term not exceeding thirty days.

Separate offences. 1b. Art. 1084.
(11) That each day any person shall continue to violate the provisions of this ordinance shall constitute a separate offence.

Excepting certain localities. 1b. Art. 1086.
(13) That nothing in this ordinance shall be taken to affect or repeal Ordinance 4101, C. S., relative to prostitutes on Canal street, or Ordinance 3430, C. S., relative to prostitutes in the Fifth District, nor to allow prostitutes to occupy, inhabit, live or sleep in any house, room or closet, situated on the following streets, viz.: Rampart, St. Louis and Conti streets.

Fifth District limit. Ord. No. 3430, C.S. Art. 1087.
That it shall be unlawful for any woman notoriously abandoned to lewdness to occupy, inhabit, live or sleep in any house situated within the following limits of the Fifth District of this city:
Limits.
Along the line of the Mississippi river from the upper line west of Madison street to Newton, north of Newton to Verret, west of Verret to Homer, north of Homer to Verret avenue, and along the Verret Canal to the cemetery, both sides.

Duty of Police. 1b. Art. 1088.
(2) That it shall be the duty of all police officers, policemen and watchmen to arrest any woman or girl found in contravention of the foregoing section and take her before the Recorder of said district, who shall impose upon her a fine not less than five ($5) dollars or more than twenty-five ($25) dollars, and in default of payment thereof shall condemn her to not more than thirty days imprisonment. And said Recorder shall notify such woman or girl to remove from and quit the premises so occupied or inhabited by her within three days from such notification, under penalties imposed by said section.

Renting rooms, houses, etc. 1b. Art. 1089
(3) That each and every person who shall rent or hire any house, building or room, to any woman or girl notoriously abandoned to lewdness in contravention of this Ordinance shall pay a penalty of fifty ($50) dollars for each and every girl or woman, such person shall rent or hire as aforesaid.

Penalty. Art. 1090.
(4) That no house or building or room known as an assignation house shall be permitted to be operated within the limit as mentioned in Article 1 of this ordinance under penalty as mentioned in section 2.

Unlawful to live on Canal street. Ord. No. 4101, C. S., Nov 12, 1889. Art. 1091.
(1) That it shall not be lawful for any prostitute or woman notoriously abandoned to lewdness to occupy, inhabit, live or sleep in any house on Canal street.

Unlawful to rent or hire any house, etc., on Canal street. 1b. Art. 1092.
(2) That it shall not be lawful to rent or hire any house, building or room on Canal street to any woman or girl notoriously abandoned to lewdness.

Penalty. 1b. Art. 1093.
(3) That any person who shall knowingly violate the foregoing provisions of this ordinance shall, on conviction before the Recorder of the district in which the offence shall be committed, be fined not more than $25, and in default of payment of the fine to imprisonment in the parish prison for a term not exceeding thirty days.

Separate offences. 1b. Art. 1094.
(4) That each day that the provisions of this ordinance shall be violated, shall constitute a new offence and subject the violators to the punishment imposed by section 3 of this ordinance.

Duty of Mayor. Ord. No. 5662, C.S., Oct. 9, 1891.
Owner to give bond. 1b. Art. 1095.
That whenever any person shall have been found guilty by any competent court of keeping a house of prostitution or of assignation in violation of city ordinances, and said person shall have failed to remove from said house, it shall be the duty of the Mayor, after five days' notice to the occupant or occupants of said house, to cause the police to eject all the occupants from said house and to close the same, and to carry the keys thereof to the Mayor; and the Mayor shall not return said keys to the owner of said house until said owner shall have subscribed in favor of the city of New Orleans a bond of $500, with good and solvent security, conditioned that said house shall not be used for such prohibited uses of prostitution or assignation, said bond to be in force for the period of one year from date thereof.

Led by Mayor Walter C. Flower, a cotton merchant who was, in his own words, "thrown into politics," these elite businessmen sought to clean up the city literally, through proper sewerage, drainage, and clean water facilities, and metaphorically, by limiting vice to a few isolated neighborhoods.

The original ordinance (No. 13032 C.S.) reads, "From the first of October, 1897 it shall be unlawful for any public prostitute or woman notoriously abandoned to lewdness to occupy, inhabit, live or sleep in any house, room or closet without the following limits: South Side of Customhouse [Iberville] from Basin to Robertson street, east side of Robertson street from Customhouse to Saint Louis street, from Robertson to Basin street." Yet the ordinance also included the proviso that "nothing herein shall be so construed as to authorize any lewd woman to occupy a house, room or closet in any portion of the city." Thus the city gave itself the authority to regulate prostitution without technically legalizing it.

In 1900, the Democratic Ring regained power and dominated city politics for the next twenty years. Rather than close Storyville, they continued to profit from prostitution until the U.S. Navy forced its closure. Indeed, one of Storyville's most powerful figures was Thomas C. Anderson, who, in addition to operating several saloons, was a senator in the state legislature. He had a long history as a "boss" where prostitution was concerned: Before Storyville, prostitution was centered in an area known colloquially as "Anderson Country." Storyville's roughly thirteen square blocks bordered both the French Quarter and the rapidly developing business district, known as the American section. In 1897, the neighborhood had a mixed population of blacks, whites, Creoles, immigrants, young people, and old. There were widows, workingmen, artisans, city court clerks, and prostitutes. Small businesses-Italian fruit stands, corner groceries, a "Chinese laundry"-as well as two "Negro dance halls," two churches, a school, and several houses of prostitution and assignation also populated the area.

In July 1897, months before the ordinance was to take effect, the city council amended the boundaries of Storyville to include St. Louis Street, which had originally constituted a kind of border between vice and respectability. George L'Hote, whose home and business occupied several blocks nearby, sued to prevent the extension. Though in favor of the original ordinance, he charged that if St. Louis Street were included, his family would have no decent path to and from their home. The Supreme Court decided for the city, and Storyville opened officially in 1900, after two years of de facto operation. The same ordinance (No. 13,485 C.S.) also created another red-light district. Known as "uptown" or "black" Storyville, this four-block district was bounded by Perdido, Locust, Franklin, and Gravier streets. http://www.knowla.org/